Your Presence Honours Us
by sjmax
Summary: Before Amy. Before Santana. An unlikely friendship is about to develop. Will it turn to romance?


Your Presence Honours Us

Leonard walked into his apartment, weighed down either side, with bags of shopping. He crossed to the kitchen, put down his bags and then froze. Someone was sitting outside Sheldon's door. A girl, with blond hair, was on the floor, leaning against his door, with a strange and slightly vacant expression on her face. Her eyes were closed as if in rapture.

He cleared his throat, but she didn't flinch. He coughed, louder and when that got no response, he slammed down a tin. It was as if the girl was deaf, or dead. But he saw her breathing and he noticed her features flickered from time to time. As strange as it was, perhaps she was asleep and dreaming, he thought. He took a step towards her when the front door opened.

Penny stood there. Leonard was relieved. He beckoned her over with a frantic gesture. Penny, puzzled, crossed the room.

"What's wrong?" she said. "Are you okay?"

Leonard shook his head and then jerked it in the direction of the apparition in his apartment.

"Oh." Penny grimaced. "There she is." She sighed and put her hands to her hips. "Brittany" she called.

The girl, Brittany, opened her eyes and waved at Penny. Then she put her finger to her lips. "Shh" she said and closed her eyes again.

"So that's Brittany," Penny said awkwardly.

Leonard nodded his head, but it turned into a shake. "Who is Brittany, and what's she doing in my apartment?"

"Brittany is Brittany," Penny said with a shrug. "I lost her…" She trailed off. She wasn't quite sure how to explain the situation. She decided against trying. She walked towards her. "Brittany, honey, what are you doing?"

Brittany opened her eyes again. "There's a real-life genius in there" she whispered, gesturing to Sheldon's room. Then she frowned slightly. "Again. Again!" she called out suddenly.

Leonard thought he heard a slight whimper from inside the room and then the unrecognisable voice of Sheldon as he began to sing 'Soft Kitty'.

"A genius that sings" Brittany said in hushed excitement. "And it's the most beautiful song I ever heard."

Leonard took hold of Penny's arm and dragged her across the room.

"She's got Sheldon held hostage in there!" he whispered violently.

Penny laughed. "Oh, come on!" she said.

Leonard stared at her. The laughter died away.

"She's got Sheldon held hostage," she whispered back.

"You think?" Leonard pulled a face at Penny. "Where does she come from…?" He trailed off and looked at her. "I mean, is she even real?"

Penny didn't answer and Leonard cleared his throat with embarrassment. "I mean, clearly she's real." He said.

Penny rolled her eyes and walked over to Brittany again. Brittany opened her eyes and smiled up at her.

"Penny," she said simply. Penny nodded, smiling. "Thank you for bringing me here." She said. "I was feeling a bit lost and afraid, but I think, right now, this is almost the happiest I've ever been." She leant back against the door with an ecstatic sigh. "Have you _heard _that song?"

Penny went to speak, but then stopped. She wasn't entirely sure what to say.

From inside Sheldon's room, it had gone quiet and then, oh-so-gently, there was a gentle rapping at the door, followed by Sheldon's plaintive whisper. "Penny…" rap, rap, rap. "Penny…" rap, rap, rap.

"Okay, Brittany, so we need to let Sheldon come out of his room."

"I don't think he likes to come out." Brittany was looking confused.

"Well, no, not always, but he wants to come out now." She knocked, loudly, on the door. "Do you want to come out Sheldon?"

For a moment, there was silence, then Sheldon hissed through the door. "It depends," he said.

Penny sighed. She held out her hand to Brittany.

"Honey, I think Sheldon's a bit scared right now. He's like a rare sort of… bird, or something, and we need to give him his freedom. Okay?"

Brittany nodded earnestly and took Penny's proffered hand.

"Can I see it?" she said.

Penny snorted. From behind his closed door, Sheldon gasped.

"I beg your pardon," he said curtly.

"You can come out now Sheldon." Penny called.

The door slowly opened, and Sheldon peered through the crack. He stared at Penny, then he looked at Brittany and then finally, his eyes settled on Leonard.

"Leonard." He said with as much authority as he could muster, given his fear of the tall blond stranger who had held him captive for the past few hours. "Can I speak to you for a moment."

Leonard sighed and walked to the door.

"I'm Leonard, by-the-way," he said smiling at Brittany. She smiled back.

"Are you a genius too?" she asked.

"No, he most certainly is not." Sheldon opened the door wider.

Leonard smiled derisively. "I can't sing like Sheldon, that's for sure," he said. "Come out, Sheldon." He said with an impatient sigh. "She means you no harm." He made the Vulcan hand gesture of peace.

"Is he a Vulcan?" Brittany gushed. "She bounced up and down excitedly and clapped her hands together. She placed her hand upon her chest and looked at Sheldon reverently. "Amsetri tre," she said.

Sheldon flung open his door and stepped towards Brittany with a tingle of excitement flushing through him.

"Show me your ears?" he pleaded.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE - This really is a bit of fun and probably won't write more unless I get inundated with requests. :-)


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